Grace Guarnieri never really knew Rob Ford, but she says he still left a lasting impression on her. In a phone conversation, some time ago, the owner of Second Elegance on Pape Avenue mentioned to the then mayor that her father was ill. Subsequently, Ford phoned back to ask if there was anything he could do. “That’s epic. Who remembers that?” Guarnieri said. “I mean, just that act was consolation enough,” she said. “It was just him doing what he loved to do.”

Former Toronto mayor Rob Ford has reclaimed his seat as a city councillor after winning nearly...